Bear Claw: prequel to Mustang Eyes
by The Narnian Phantom Stallion
Summary: Maxine meets an Indian boy in the woods one day and the two become friends. will their friendship and love last as their people go to war against each other.
1. Chapter 1

**I decided I would start the prequel to Mustang Eyes about how Maxine and Luke/Bear Claw got together. I know this is the flashback from Mustang Eyes. I thought it fit as the first chapter.**

**Ideas welcome. I need some help with the plotline.**

Bear Claw: Prequel to Mustang Eyes

Chapter one:

Little Maxine Hardy ran through the woods of War Drum Flats. She had decided to explore. Her family had recently built a small cabin beside the little wood.

The Hardy's were new in Washoe. They had traveled from Kansas to explore the west. Washoe had sounded promising.

Maxine had been cooped up in the little cabin all day house cleaning with her Ma, Beth Hardy.

The girl managed to escape a few hours later. The woods were calling her. She loved the outdoors and wanted to see what they held. Yes, Maxine with her long blond braids was a little dare-devil. She had heard exciting stories about the Shoshone Indians that lived near here. She dared hope to meet one.

The little blonde girl skipped along toward the woods. Rocky ground turning to bright green luscious grass. Trees surrounded her as she went further and deeper. She was so excited she started running. Not paying attention, she tripped over a tree root sticking out from the ground.

Maxine let out a cry of pain. Plummeting headfirst to the ground. She landed on her elbows with a groan. She completely deserved that fall. She should have been looking to where she was going and not so hasty.

Slowly she sat up. What am I going to do now? She scowled and just sat there with her arms crossed.

Leaves crunched and twigs snapped and Maxine jumped up in alarm, hobbling a little on her seemed-to-be sprained ankle. "Who's there?" she called out frantically. Her mind was reeling thoughts of what could be lurking behind those dense mass of trees close to her.

There was no answer so it had to be a wild animal waiting to strike.

Maxine hobbled away from the sound; interest in looking for Indians vanished. She backed and backed until she almost fell again. She didn't want to turn her back on the noise. She leaned against a lone tree.

Suddenly out from the trees came an Indian boy a few years older of 12 years old maybe. He stared at her with a curious expression then stepped forward, wanting to get closer to the strange girl.

Maxine shrank back against the tree in surprise. Never in her dreams would she have thought this was the thing she was running from.

The boy crept closer. Too close for Maxine's comfort, in fact so close they were almost nose to nose. Maxine gasped, blinking her blue eyes. Was she dreaming here?

The boy had deep brown eyes that penetrated her very soul. His long black hair was pulled in braids over his shoulders; tickling her face as he bent over her. He was incredibly tall for his young age.

Maxine stared at him in utter shock and silence, she pressed her back a little more against the tree with her head tilted back.

He looked bewildered by her reaction of his presence. Was she scared of him? He studied her a bit before stepping back away from her.

Maxine continued to stare in amazement. She had never been this close to an Indian.

Her left foot started to pain her and much to her dislike she slid her back down the tree until she was in a sitting position. Maxine eyed the boy warily, wondering if he meant her any harm.

The boy pointed toward the ankle Maxine was holding onto.

Maxine stared at him puzzled. She didn't understand what he meant by pointing at her ankle like that.

He gave a sigh before dropping onto his knees in front of her, preparing to examine it.

She yelped in fear, trying to get up to run from him. She didn't know he was trying to help her.

The boy saw that she was about to get up and run and put his hand on her shoulder to try to comfort her. She flinched away from him but didn't run. He waited until she was calmer before taking her foot in his hands. He pressed around it to see if it was broken or just sprained.

Maxine gasped in pain but stayed put.

The boy let her foot go; satisfied it was only a sprain. Now he just had to tell her he would take her back home. He frowned in frustration; he didn't know many in English and he knew she wouldn't understand his Shoshone or sign language.

"I take—you home," he managed, pointing opposite of his village camp.

Maxine nodded. She was too afraid to say no, "I live over there," she pointed behind her.

Without another word the boy helped her up and led her back home slowly without being seen. He even let her lean on him when her ankle hurt too badly.

When he returned her safe and sound they shared a secret smile. It was then Maxine knew this wasn't the last time she would see him.

**Review if you want an update!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two:

"What has happened to you, girl?" Maxine's mother Beth exclaimed in horror almost dropping her wooden spoon to the dirt floor of their meager cabin.

Maxine had just limped into the cabin and sat at the table. She was still stunned over seeing the Indian boy. Had she really seen him or had he been a figment of her imagination. What had been his name? Would she ever see him again? She felt a little light headed thinking about it.

"I tripped over a tree stump and fell, Mama." Maxine said lowly.

"You're clumsy as an ox, girl," Beth sputtered and sighed dropping the spoon into the bowl with a splat.

"I'm sorry."

"Go get cleaned up and I'll look after your ankle after supper. Your father is out plowing the field." Beth went back to work.

Maxine sidled out of the chair and went up to the loft where her wash basin sat of water.

Her clothes were dirt smudged and her stockings had a small tear….Mama sure didn't need to worry about buying her new stockings.

The Hardy's were a very poor family with little money to spare. Papa was a farmer. Their cabin lay on acres of flat treeless ground. Perfect for farming if it wasn't for the rocks in the ground. Papa though was determined to get the earth to wield him crops anyway. So far they had a small harvest. Enough to buy a few needed things at the mercantile.

Maxine tried to wipe her dress off as best she could but it seemed as if she only made the dirt stain all the more worse. Mama would be furious indeed.

She gave up and changed her dress into her old red one that was two sizes too small. She stuffed her dirt covered one under her bed, hoping her Mama wouldn't see it. Maybe she could wash it in the creek while she wasn't looking.

Maxine heard Papa come in and stomp his feet on the rag carpet by the door. "Woowee," she heard him exclaim and she heard Mama chide him for being so loud.

She limped down the loft latter and sat at the table where her Papa was sitting.

"Hello there, Princess," he smiled at her.

Mama set metal bowls of stew on the table and then laid down three wooden spoons.

"Say the blessing, Rand," Mama sat down.

After supper, Maxine sat on the same wooden chair as Mama took a good look at her ankle.

"Lord knows I'm glad we don't have to pay the Doc a visit. That's what we need is more people to owe. Tis bad enough we owe what we do to the mercantile," Mama fretted, feeling Maxine's ankle.

"It weren't nothin' but a sprain," Maxine assured.

"Better be more careful next time." Mama rubbed a stinky smelling ointment on her ankle.

Maxine wrinkled her nose and nodded.

That night she went to bed thinking of a certain raven haired boy.

**Review if you want an update!**


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